SXSW Sessions SXSW

Two-time Emmy-nominated actress and producer Sydney Sweeney has become one of the most sought-after talents of her generation, captivating global audiences with her many buzz-worthy, critically acclaimed, and iconic roles.

Sweeney can most recently be seen starring opposite Glen Powell in Will Gluck’s R-rated romantic comedy ANYONE BUT YOU, which broke box office records for the 2023 holiday season. She also recently made her highly anticipated debut as ‘Julia Carpenter’ (aka Spider Woman) in Sony’s Marvel universe alongside Dakota Johnson with the release of MADAME WEB. Sweeney will next be seen starring in the psychological horror film IMMACULATE for Black Bear Pictures, which she developed alongside producer David Bernad, following their highly successful collaboration on WHITE LOTUS.

Now streaming on MAX, Sweeney’s film REALITY marked her international film debut at the 2023 Berlinale Film Festival with the film’s world premiere, where she played former US Airforce Translator and whistleblower Reality Winner. She is currently in production filming an upcoming survival thriller ‘EDEN.’ Directed by Ron Howard, Sweeney will star in this film alongside Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, and Jude Law. Sweeney recently started production on the Apple Original Films’ thriller ECHO VALLEY where she will also star opposite Julianne Moore and Domhnall Gleeson.

As the standout character ‘Cassie’ in HBO’s EUPHORIA, Sweeney’s exceptional work in Season 2 captured the attention of viewers, earning her a 2022 Emmy nomination for her performance in the category of “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.” Prior to the second season of EUPHORIA, Sydney’s name was on everyone’s lips due to her turn as the seemingly woke millennial ‘Olivia’ who dished out side-eye and microaggressions every chance she had in HBO’s THE WHITE LOTUS.

The inception of Sweeney’s production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, came from the desire to reclaim professional autonomy by identifying and giving wind to projects she finds interesting, challenging, and relevant. Partnering with Jonathan Davino in 2019, Fifty-Fifty Films continues to remain focused on building impactful projects that are inclusive and purposeful. Currently in development as starring vehicles are THE PLAYER’S TABLE with Fifth Season, THE REGISTRATION for Sony Pictures, based on Madison Lawson’s novel, with Fuller Media and THE CARETAKER for Universal Pictures, alongside Michael Bay and Brad Fuller for Platinum Dunes.

From AI-powered composition and artwork creation to voiceprints and curated playlists, AI is changing the way artists create and market their music, and engage with their fans. With these new tools comes a new set of challenges and responsibilities for the music industry. Artists can harness the power of AI but it is the responsibility of companies across the industry to ensure that human artistry is supported, not replaced. Panelists will present principles for companies to consider as artists engage with AI opportunities as well as results & lessons learned from early AI pilot programs.



 

What if you could see the world like a futurist and be a non-obvious thinker? After exploring the front lines of world changing trends and writing about them for more than a decade, this session will be the exclusive premiere of the new book, Non-Obvious Thinking (coming September 2024) from #1 Wall Street Journal best-selling author and founder and Chief Trend Curator at The Non-Obvious Company Rohit Bhargava.
Going beyond offering the usual secretive futurist's tour of emerging trends and scenarios, this session will reveal what it takes to identify trends for yourself and isolate patterns the way futurists do. Based on his own successful work teaching tens of thousands of professionals how to be non-obvious thinkers who anticipate the future, this talk will open the Non-Obvious playbook and reveal exactly how to curate and leverage trends for yourself to help you win in 2025 and beyond.

How can brands and leaders tell stories that inspire human connection and positive action, especially in these anxious and uncertain times? Cheryl Miller Houser offers tactics grounded in the science and craft of storytelling to make people feel part of something bigger than themselves and move them to laugh, to cry, to propel change. Participants from all sectors can apply these tactics to drive success in building brand loyalty, marketing, galvanizing employees, creating community, fundraising and more. 



 

Join award-winning writers and directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert as they talk about the process of developing, creating, and releasing their surprise hit movie that took the world by st— okay, look, if you’re still reading this, we should tell you that we've run out of new things to say about Everything Everywhere All At Once, so although we’ll try our best to stay on topic, we'll most likely go on a bunch of tangents about the state of the world, the impending climate crisis, the collapse of consensus truth, the rise of AI, the importance and impossibility of self care, and our collective responsibility as storytellers to confront the issues of our time, because that's probably going to be what's on our mind, but we can't make any promises, but at times we don’t feel qualified to talk about any of that stuff, anyway we hope you enjoy our SXSW keynote!



 

Women’s representation in media and entertainment has come a long way, but there's still much to be done, especially for women of color and mothers. Social media's omnipresence has raised the stakes, creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular. On International Women’s Day, we’ll hear from visionary female leaders at the forefront of news, media, entertainment and philanthropy who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and working toward a healthier society on and off our screens.